Shattered goals
by amyltrer
Summary: Gatchaman F alternate ending
1. Chapter 1

Counsciousness started to drip slowly into his mind as his body acknowledged the fierce sensations of pain. Chaotic memories danced in front of his eyes, each increasing his suffering to new peaks. He recalled his latest hours, the fight, the slaughter…

He was overcomed by anger and terror after seeing his men charred by the laser blasts, his second collapsing beside him in a pool of blood. He no longer considered his actions as he lunged sword-blazing at the infamous creature. He remembered being thrashed in the air like a ragged doll and crushed on the metal floor by the alien's unnatural powers. The air around him caught fire, as his lungs struggled to breath it. His skin was burning, he screamt….

The latest sensation he could remember was the pain of having his flesh pierced by the hot blade. Then everything went black. And the pain ceased…..Until now.

He slowly opened his eyes, but shut them close immediately, as the upsetting artificial light blinded him.

"The Hell looks so bright" he thought.

He took a deep breath, that came with an incredible ammount of pain, then opened them again. The white ceilling and various life monotoring systems - this was the aseptical view of a hospital room that greeted him. It was then when he realised that he was lying on a bed. A croacked moan escaped his lips – the only succor of his attempt to lift straight, as he noticed the ISO emblem marcked on the apparature.

xXx

A sharp beep emitted by the apparatus caught the doctor's attention. He studied the monitor for a moment, then turned to report to the dark figure hastily retreated to a shadowy cornerof the Medical Observatory Bay.

" He's awake!"

The figure stepped closer in the light, revealing a ripped dark blue cape. A slightly nod of the cracked helmet was the only answer he gave. He approached of the glass panel of the Observatory, his steely gaze peering at the lying figure on the other side.

Joe didn't even bothered to detransmute. He was the only one conscious, mainly due to the fact he was a cyborg.

The rest of Science Ninja Team were in the Therapy, as their state was grave.He recalled the last 24 hours, as he absentmindedly twisted the panel safety bar in his grip.

_They had managed to enter the pyramid through the explosion crack and received a warm welcome from the alien. Literary. As they were running in zigzag, to avoid the laser bolts, one fully hit Ken. Hadn't been for his Bird Suit to protect him, he would have ended in a pile of ash. Advancing towards Z's final lair, they found Egobossler lying on the floor, with a oozing gash in his chest. His sword was beside him, smeared with his own blood. The bastard was still alive, although his pulse was faint. The blade must've missed the vital organs. It was Ken who insisted to save him, against the rest of the team's protests. _

_Saving your death enemy's life when your own was at stake was beyond Joe's understanding._

_And one who was responsable of all this madness. He caused so much destruction in his chase to rule the world, so many lives lost because of his ambition…. It was he who'd helped the alien to get so close at the point of blowing the planet to smithereens. He, more than anyone on Earth deserved to rot there, to die along with this wretched creature…or whatever it was…._

_Joe felt his hatred boiling inside him. He didn't even hated Katze so much. At least s/he had the decency to throw himself in that lava pit and rid the world of the misery s/he was. But Egobossler had to be saved. And what had he done to deserve it? He was a disaster for humanity. He made their lives miserable every day. Killed their mentor. Their friend. Oh, how he wished to see him suffering……. But there would be time for that._

His thoughts went back to the pressing matters of reality.

He stared hatefully at the contorted pieces of metal from his hand. Better said, at what was left from it. As he had helped his leader on his feet, a laser volt hit his arm. He stared now at the exposed iron wire-like gears that composed his skeleton. The skin was ripped open bellow his elbow and he could see his muscles rippling. He felt no pain, but seeing his cyborg side stirred the anger within him. He flexed his fingers and watched in morbid fascination the mechanical joints gliding together flawlessly.

"Sir…."

Joe turned his head in the direction of the doctor.

"Umm….someone should look at your wound" The man was plainly sickened by the bloody sight.

"You could get an infection….."

The Condor nodded, as he done a black glove over his damaged limb. The fabric felt strange against his raw flesh.

"You said he has awaken."

The doctor nodded at the emotionless voice.

"I want to see him."

xXx

He approached the bed with narrow steps, his gaze never leaving the prone figure. He took a brief glance at the life monotoring systems around.

"How are you feeling?"

Blue eyes pierced him with an icy glare.

"It's over?"

Joe gave a slight nod, and the youth sighed in relief.

" The doctors said you'll recover." That was partialy true. He would, indeed , but his condition would never be like before. Hopefully, it won't be needed. Now Gallactor was defeated once for all.

" The others?"

Joe clenched his fists.

" Jinpei….. is in the best condition. He has some broken ribs and severe fracures……Ryu….is in coma…..The doctors said he has a cerebral trauma….. "

Ken's face was composed, but Joe could guess the emotions rushing inside him.

"And Jun?"

Joe closed his eyes shut and bowed his head mournfully. This would be one painful point.

"She didn't made it…."

He could see his friend's face growing pale and his eyes watering with grief. There was a moment of silence, that seemt to last forever.

"Joe…..leave me!"

The Condor nodded sympathetically, and left the room.

xXx

The man's breath was erratic. He made several useless attempts to lift up from the bed, but the terrible pain that came with each movement, and the leather bonds around his wrists kept him clinched against the stark mattress.

He ceased his efforts and eyed the room carefully. It was a small sterile-hospital room, furnished with various medical apparature. The only light was provided by the brackets on the ceilling. There were no windows, and the air was dry and recicled.

"I must be in an underground base" he thought. He had no idea of it's location, and there were few to no possibility of escape. He didn't thought his men knew he was alive. They must have assumed he had dided in the explosion. Even if they had known, there were slim chances to get him out. ISO bases were well-known for their security measures. No dubt this base must be one of the most well guarded of all them, although he could not see any surveilance systems, nor guards.

There were another problem that racked him.

He didn't knew the status of his forces. He left them dissorganised. Without a strong leader to keep the order, there will surely start fights for power within his armies. Many of his generals waited exactly such an ocassion to seize the power. After Kempler had freed his half-brother he lost a lot of his authority within the syndicate. The familly elders were not willing to accept the rule of a bastard. Many of his loyal men had died. He wasn't sure if the ones left were strong enough to organise a rescue operation. Nor willing for that matter.

He took a deep breath, and turned his head to get more details of the room. He winced as the muscles in his neck strained painfully.

"I've got better days." His head was throbbing and in that moment he would kill for a Valium.

A new thought entered his mind, something he was too distracted too notice earlier. Just how did he got in an ISO base? Sosai surely didn't dropped him there before the explosion. And what happened with the alien? The last thing he remembered was throwing his sword at the creature, and a stab in the chest. This confusion made his headache much worse.

He wanted to open his mouth and scream for someone, but the now-familiar pain greeted his impulse.

He wanted answers at his questions……and a pain killer…..

Helm sighed and closed his eyes.

xXx

Joe felt an almost ferocious anger as he stared at the figure lying on the bed. What he saw was far from what he remembered. His once powerfull enemy, ruthless and arrogant that ruled Gallactor Syndicate with an iron fist. He was the most dangerous enemy they ever had. In every aspect. He was cunning and slippery, but not a coward. He had laughed in their faces countless times. Katze and Gelsadra were pathetic beside him. He actually succeded to defeat Gatchaman, he crippled them from within. Something not even X had managed.

He vowed so many times to pierce a shuriken through his skull for every humiliation they had endured because of him, for every murder he had commited. For Nambu. For Jun……Jun…why was she the one who died, when he should have been now burning in Hell? Jun should have been alive now, to enjoy the so hard achieved peaced with them…..This scum should have died, not her.

Joe sighed through gritted teeth at the life's unfairness.

What he saw now, was so pitiful and weak he couldn't bring himself to hate.

Massive bandages wrapped the man's torso and head. IV tubes stuck his arms and the visible potions of his skin were covered cuts and vicious violet bruises. His face was all bandaged, except for the eyes portion, and Joe could see his eyeballs beating shut.

Helm sensed someone's presence and opened his eyes. He instantly wished he hadn't done it, as what he saw wasn't a very friendly sight. Standing few inches away from him was the Condor himself. The ninja looked like the death incarnate, with his Birdstyle shredded, helmet cracked and a murderous look on his face that made the Count shiver in fear. Being so badly injuried and defenseless at the mercy of his enemy wasn't comforting at all for Helm. Condor Joe wasn't known for his forgiving nature. The only thing he could do was to stare eyes widened in fear at the ghostly silhouette.

Joe could plainly see the fear and the pain in the man's eyes and a malicious smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. The pain of his enemy gave him so much satisfaction, it soothed down the burning anger within him. Under his sadistic gaze, Helm squeezed his eyes shut and felt his heart rate speed up as he expected a deadly strike from the Condor in any moment. That, however, didn't come but the glare pierced him through his very soul. He didn't know how long it had been, but when he opened them again the Condor was gone.

He tried, with no result, to calm down his emotions. His thoughts were so scattered he could barely keep up with them and felt to tired to meditate at his curent state.

He closed his eyes, attempting to get some rest. He knew he would need it. Behind his eyelids, Condor's burning glare kept haunting his sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Ken's gaze was blank and unfocused. So were his thoughts. Except for one. Jun. Jun….dead? His mind refused to acknowledge it. It was like the sun would never shine again. Jun was a permanence in his life, she was a part of his world, a world that had been badly shaken at the loss of his mentor. Her death shatterd it completely. In their line of work, death was always imminent, but he never took the threat seriously. He was so confindent in his training, in their teamwork….. He never assumed that one of them could actually die. And this one would be Jun. They had gone through so many together, and she gave him support and encouragement to get over, to defeat Gallactor once more, to give the world a new day….. They said the war was over, that they had won and Gallactor was distroyed once for all. But he didn't feel like a winner . He had lost everything he cared for during this war….. his father, his friends, his love…. He loved Jun. God, he only now realised how important she had been for him…. He wished he had the chance to tell her about his feelings, but in a war emotions killed. The very thought he would never see her again left an emptyness inside him and for a second he wished this world would have perished along with Sosai. This world he fought so hard to save from Gallactor, will ever repay him for the sacrifices he had made? Was it worth all ? He never felt so useless. Ken blinked as his tears ran down his cheeks.

xXx

He was awaken from his restless sleep by the doctor's voice.

"Antibiotics now. Two units!" The nurse obeyed the order and injected the drugs in the IV tube.

" Blood pressure still low. His immune system won't stand the infection. He needs a transfussion urgently!"

" He can't have one. "

The nurse was about to protest but the doctor cut her, as he rised the syringe filled with purple liquid.

" His blood has no match. "

She stared bewildered at the it. She had many blue blood patients before, but this one was the first one literary.

"But he won't survive without one."

" Not like he deserves to"

They turned in the direction of the icy voice. They never saw him coming in.

Joe had finally detransmuted, but he looked no less threatening than he did with his ripped birdsuit on. He wore now a black leather jacket and trousers, the color matching the grief on his features.

"We have orders to keep him alive." Replied the doctor with a gulp.

Joe clenched his gloved hand in a fist, feeling his remaining muscles strain to the point of breaking. He only stared hatefully at the man. Eventualy he asked absentmindedly.

"How is his state?"

" Critical. He has an abnormal blood type and we can't give him a transfussion. He developed a general septicemia so we're keeping him on antibiotics. "

Joe watched the IV tubes for a moment.

" It's that what you're pumping in him?"

" Yes, it's a mixture of morphine and antibiotics"

Joe's brows knitted in an furious expression that startled the medics.

" Who gave you permission to give this scum analgesics?" The nurse cringed at his roar, but the man kept his calm.

" Sir, this is the procedure…. This type of drugs give terrible pains….. " . Joe cut him

"Just what he deserves!" with that he pushed the man aside an yanked violently the tube from Helm's inner elbow, causing the man to groan in pain. The doctors watched concernedly the patient, but didn't dare to move from their place. The Condor's features were twisted in a mask of pure cruelty.

" Give him anymore pain killers, and I swear you'll need them on you."

Although the threatening scared the willies out of them, the stubborn medic still fought the Condor.

"We have orders to keep him alive!"

" But not comfortable!" yelled Joe.

" This is barbarity…. We are not torturers….we have higher moral standards…."

The man's whiny protests made him chuckle viciously.

" The only thing the scum understands is torture. And this is what he'll get."

Helm felt so helpless as he listened to their conversation. He felt his fear overwhelming him as he watched the doctors departing and cringed at the thought of being left alone in the room with the Condor. Joe realised he was awake as waited eagerly this moment. He would not harm Egobossler, not because he didn't wanted to, far from this, but the man was in a such pitiful condition he could have killed him with a snap of his fingers. Beside, it would be time for this, later. He would have felt sorry for his enemy if there were any human feelings left in him. Helm shrank against the mattres under the Condor's murderous glare. He wondered if he would hit him this time. Not that it could make his suffering any worse. The pain from the antibiotics was now in full force and every nerve in his body screamt. The ninja was obviously delighted of the sight. Joe stared intensly in the fear widened grey eyes of his injuried enemy. The pain was visible in them and he smiled smugly.

" Feeling good bastard?"

The voice was dripping sarcasm and hatred. Helm winced. From the way Joe emphasised the last word, he realised it had been used in it's literary sense. He felt anger rushing through him at the mentioning of his origins. Had he been well and with a gun in his hand, he would have made Condor to eat his words. Joe realised he had struk a cord and went on.

" How does it feel to be crushed like bug, huh?"

Helm's attempt to make a fist was greeted by an unbearable pain in his arm. Joe's grin widened at the man's pained moan as he toyed a syringe with morphine in front of him teasingly. Helm's eyes followed it. The pain numbed his mind and he could barely breath. He wanted desperately a pain killer, but he knew he won't get any from the Condor and the medical staff won't risk to anger him for a war criminal. He prayed the antibiotic's effect won't last for long. The piercing glare was almost as disturbing as the pain and Helm could no longer support it. He closed his eyes and turned his head away, ignoring the prostests of his aching muscles. He stil felt it boring into him.

"Get used with it, bastard!" The Condor's baleful words resounded through the noise of the slamming door.

xXx

Stranded on the hospital bed, Ken had lost the time's notion. Most of it, he would stare blankly at the white ceilling, then recalling memories again and again, until they no longer meant anything and his tired mind succumbed to a dreamless sleep. He supposed that there were a couple of days, perharps a week. Not that it mattered to him. No after Jun's death. He dreaded to associate this notion with her. At first, he hoped he had only dreamt, and waited her to burst on the door in any moment, as she did before when he was injured on the field. But she never come. The only visits he got were from the medical personel and Joe. He sensed the same grief in his friend and he wished there was a way to comfort him, but how could he do it when he couldn't comfort himself. They would have a little conversation, Joe would ask him how he felt, and he would ask him about the other's condition. Ryu was still in coma but Jinpei was recovering. Only physical. Ken could imagine what the boy felt at the loss of his sister, as he shared the same grief. He wished he could do something for Jinpei, a visit at least, but he wasn't even able to lift up from the bed. Ken stared at his left leg that was in gyps because of a multiple fracture. Other than that he only had a dislocated shoulder and some broken ribs that troubled him every time he tried to lift up. Oh, how he hated when his body let him down, but he knew he was fortunate to be alive, after he had gone through. He then looked at the food trail a nurse let on a table beside the bed. It was untouched, despite all woman's tries to make him eat. He ate very little, only enough to stay alive. But he realised that he'll never heal this way, and now all he wanted was to get up this bloody bed and see his friends. He had to support them, he knew they need him in those moments. He grabed the trail with his good arm and placed it on his lap, taking a forkful of food. It tasted like gall, but he knew he would need to recover his strength, for his friends… They needed him and he was lying here helpless……. Ken threw away the trail and it splattered loudly across the floor. With a burst of strength he pushed himself up, ignoring the searing pain and tried to stand on his feet, upholding himself in his good leg. He managed it for a second, but as soon as he let go the bed's grating he crashed on the floor, screaming in pain as he hit his shoulder. He cursed and tried to get back on his feet and crawl towards the door. Two doctors rushed in, alarmed by the sounds. They gently lifted him up and dragged him towars the bed, ignoring his screams.

"Let me go! Let me go, dammit!"

Joe arrived soon after they managed, not without a fight to set the Eagle back on his bed.

" I have to see Jinpei and Ryu … Joe, tell them."

" He's not in condition to." One of the men protested.

His friend eyed the medics, then he turned to him.

"You're staying here until you recover. " Ken grit his teeth in anger.

" They need me! "

Joe sighed. He couldn't belive how stubborn Ken could be sometimes.

" And you think hurting yourself will do any good?"

He clenched his fists, realising Joe has a point. The expressiom on his face left no place for an argue. Ken banged his fists against the mattres in frustration.

" I'll let you know if something happens" He added on a placatory voice. His leaded nodded grumpily.

There was a moment of silence, when both of them stared fiercely one at each other in a fight of wills, than Joe spoke again.

"You couldn't have done anything…….. It wasn't your fault." Ken was setted back by the statement. "

Since when you've become so wise?" He asked Joe in a low, bitter voice.

Condor gave him one of his famous saracstic smirks.

" Since dealing with you!" Ken rolled his eyes at the replica.

" Now, you stay here and if you'll make another foolishness, I'll have stripped up the bed!" the tone was determined and he knew Joe meant every word.

"'Sides, the doctors said your shoulder will be ready healed in two weeks." Ken laid back on the pillow, feeling like a reprimanded little boy, and Joe turned to leave, as the Eagle had reached his frisky point for one day.

" Thanks Joe!" The replica stopped him in his trails. "

You're welcomed!" Joe took one more glance at his friend as he left the room, and shook his head.

It were going to be two veeery long weeks.

Here it is. I tried to display Ken's brattish attitude from Fighter.


	3. Chapter 3

The days that followed had been uncomfortable for everyone.

Sitted at his desk, Joe sighed in frustration as he wrote his tenth report about the "poisoned apple" mission. It wasn't much to say about it, as his memories were scarce. Damn officials won't get it!

At one point they were lying sapples, waiting to die and then the pendant doctor Nambu gave Ken started to glow, enveloping them all in a blinding light.

The next thing he knew, he was in the underground mountain base, on a bed.

Kamu told him that the anti-matter asteroid had been succesfully destroyed and neither their pulsance scanners nor the satellites could detect Sosai's presence in the atmosphere. They assumed the alien had also been destroyed in the explosion.

But there was bad news too. The Gatchaspartan was damaged beyond repair. It's first Firemode had been it's last one. The ship's hull was almost completely melted. It was a miracle that the Spartan didn't disintegrated and thermal shields could protect them from burning alive while it enterd in the atmosphere in Firemode.

And that wasn't all. While he was in a relatively fine condition, except for his injuried arm, the others were critical. Jun didn't made it . They had found her dead on the console panel. Her head must have hit it hard during the crash. Her helmet was chopped in one side.

Joe shut close his eyes as he crumpled the report in his good hand. He couldn't take any longer.

If any bigwig would request him to write it again, he'll risk a punch from the Condor.

His thoughts drifted to the more recently events of the last two weeks.

It's first concern was Ken. His wounds would heal, but the main worry was the development of his canker. The radiations he was exposed inside the pyramide had accelerated it's progress. But he will no longer use the Hypershoot. Maybe Ken wasn't terminal yet, maybe the therapies will stop the illness. Joe prayed.

Ryu hadn't woke from the coma and the doctors said there were little chances for that to happen soon. And when he would, it was a great possibility to remain with permanent paralysies due to brain damage.

Jinpei was completely down. He had visited the boy everyday, but he was unrecogniseble. A month ago he was full of joyousness and now he was standing on his bed, knees tucked behind his chin, mourning his sister. He only nodded sadly at Joe's comforting words. He knew what he was going through, because he knew how is to lose your family, and yet he felt unable to comfort his little mate.

And himself… He stil hadn't used with the idea that the war was over, that he could return to his normal life. Normality. After a year on confinement in their mountain base this concept seem utterly alien. For him it meant the car races from his spare time, when Gallactor sat put. He didn't knew what he was going to do from now on. There was also his cyborg nature which left him few alternatives. He was part machine. Who will ever accept him like that?

"Joe…" He looked up, at the plump silhouette of chief Kamu. The man put a mug of coffe on the desk, in front of him.

" You look like you need one!"

Joe nodded thankfully as he took a sip from the hot beverage. It invigorated him a little, sending away his tiredness.

" You look exhausted, Joe. Go get some rest!" Kamu told him concernedly.

Rest was the last thing he thought of now. But he admited he needed it. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It's limbs showed 2.30 a.m. He was working at the damn report for 4 hours. His eyes hurt and his lids felt heavy. Joe looked back at Kamu as he rubbed his temples.

"I think you're right, chief. "

He rose up from his chair, heading to his quarters.

xXx

His muscles ached from all the days he had spent pinned on the bloody bed. He knew he was going to get mad if he won't get up of it soon. He was fed up of seeing the same sterile view of the hospital room, it's whiteness tired his eyes. But it was better than what he had expected.

He didn't knew why he was saved in first place, nor why ISO bothered to keep him alive, when they weren't indebted with nothing to him. For all he knew, he was better dead to them. Pity was the obvious reason, but this was a weakness he often exploited in his enemies.

He rolled his eyes, viewing for the umpteenth time the room he already knew every detail of it. It was the only thing he could do, besides breathing, since he his bindings prevent him any other movement.

Fortunately his mind was freer than his body, although the pain from antibiotics diminshed his awareness. A thing he was glad for. He had experienced during those last weeks more pain than in his whole life. Both physical and mental.

The drugs they used to stop the infection were similar with the substances used in the torture sessions, and they gave him no analgesic. Usualy he would pass out from the pain after few hours, only to awake later in the same suffering. The pain was constant, and it was mind numbing. In the few moments of counsciousness he had he would meditate over his possibilities of escape, only to realize there was no one. Absolutely no one.

The Condor visited him from time to time and toyed a pain killer in front of his eyes. He would ask him how he felt, mock at him, and sometimes only stare intently at him. His eyes full of hatred truly scared him.

Helm admited he feared the ninja, but he also hated him. He knew he was trying to breake him, in a twisted form of revenge. He made abyssimal efforts not to beg for those pain killers when he felt his body burning; he knew he won't get any, and he didn't want to give Condor the satisfaction of seeing him defeated. Not more than he was already. Because this is how he felt inside.

How proudly he had warned ISO about his plans to take over the world and how enthusiatsic he had been in pursuing his goals. And what had he obtained? Nothing was left from that arrogant conqueror except a broken man at the mercy of those he had once oppresed.

He could not retain himself not to smirk at the fate's irony.

Helm sighed in defeat and twitched his fingers against the mattres. The pain had subsidied lately. He supposed that either the infection was starting to pass or he had developed a great tolerance at it. It was still constant but now bearable and he no longer had those crises when he felt his body would burst in flames.

Yesterday the doctors took out the bandages from his face and arms, exposing violet bruises and scars bellow. The skin felt sore and he wished he had a mirror to see his face into. He tried to see how damaged it was from the expression on their faces, but that was irrelevant. Everybody in this facility seem to hate him, but it was no surprise. Most of the doctors who treated him often watched him in disgust and muttered about why having to tend a war criminal. Some show compassion and pity. He hated those the most. He didn't want no one's mercy.

"What a freak." Said one medic as they left. He glared daggers behing them.

Helm's attention snapped as he caught a bit of conversation between two medics in the doorway.

" That's wasted time, Steve. I don't know why they bother with the scoundrel. "

He winced as he knew who they meant.

" Hey, maybe they want him in good condition for the firing squad!"

" Gatchaman should have dumped him from the airlock instead bringing him here."

" I heard it was Eagle's idea. "

" Maybe wanted to set some scores and kill him personaly. That if Condor won't do it first."

Egobossler laid still and strained his hearing to get more of their talk, but the voices fainted as the men departed.

This new information let him shocked. He supposed that ISO will give him a life prison sentence for his actions, but didn't took into consideration the death sentence. The idea frightened him and threw his mind in chaos.

His fingers fidgeted nervously the bed sheets. He yanked his wrists out of restraints with all his force, and clenched his teeth as they bite into his raw flesh. The sharp pain made him to cease the struggle and calm his breath.

Helm closed his eyes again trying to gather his thoughts and regain his cool head. Panic won't help him.

He hoped they'll put him into prison from where his men could rescue him. But death sentence was very likely……

"I don't want to die….. No…. Mother….."

He snapped out from his thoughts at the sound of the door opening and looked up at the visitor. His jaw dropped at what he saw.

Ken limped inside, helping himself with a crutch. It tinkled on the floor at every step.

Egobossler's body stiffened and his gaze never left the Eagle. It seem that the battle had been desastruos for him too. He never recalled Gatchamn being so weak. His eyes followed Ken as he slowly limped beside the bed. His dark hair contrasted so sharply with his pale skin, he seem a walking corpse. The only living feature left were his bright blue eyes, now filled with grief. Helm had seen him detransmuted, but now he looked much younger, almost childlike. He realised he has no reason to fear him, as he was almost as injuried as he was.

Grey eyes stared hard hatefully into the blue ones. Ken's gaze was unfocused, like he was staring through Egobossler, not at him. Helm frown. What did he wanted ?

" Have you came to gloat, Gatchaman?" He asked bitterly spitting the last word.

Ken did not answer. Instead he came closer and injected something into the IV bag. Egobossler watched him eyes widened . What was it? Some pain inflicter? Poison?

" Pain killer." Replied Ken as he noticed his alarmed stare.

Helm sighed with relief.

" Why?" the voice was raspy from not being used a long time.

Ken shuddered. He didn't knew why he did it. Mercy perharps. A month ago all he wanted was Egobossler's blood on his blade. But now he didn't cared at all. He no longer hated him. He felt to tired for that.

" Why did you saved me?" He shook his head as he understood what Egobossler was refering at.

" I don't know." He answered in an end.

His enemy's actions startled him, but his hatred subsided at the thought he owned his life to him. He stared back at the blank visage of the youth, trying to figure what crossed the Eagle's mind that moment.

" Was it worth?"

Helm stared puzzled for a second, before he understood the meaning of the question.

It was the same one he had asked himself countless time before. In the end he got nothing but pain and humiliation. Definitevely not. But it was beyond Count to admit that that he had failed, that his last eight years had been a fake, and worse of it, that he regretted all.

He lowered his eyes, unable to meet the Eagle's ones now.

" I thought so."

The crutch resounded on the floor as Ken limped his way back, leaving Egobossler alone with his thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

Helm's eyes darted aimlessly around. At least he got his change of view even if it was for this detention cell they put him into three days ago. He couldn't believe he was going to miss the old hospital room.

This new ….. residence was very inhospitable, to say at least.

It was a square twelve feet cell with nothing but a half-meter-broad plank hung from the wall that served him as a bed. He never used it since it wasn't more comfortable than the cold metal floor he sat now. The walls were also from metal plates, not even padded.

Probably his captors considered he wasn't going to ram his head in them. He agreed with them although he sometimes felt like.

They gave him the customary orange detention uniform; the tunic and trousers were from a single piece of fabric with no buttons or seams. A safety measure to prevent an eventually attempt of escape.

This wasn't Helm's idea of Hell but it was worse enough.

The only way out from this place was through a grate-door locked. He rose, went to it and wrested hard against the thick titanium bars, as he did countless times before. The metal didn't move a milimeter.

Helm heard a distant snicker and pryed his head through the bars to see the sentinel posted few meters away from his cell. The soldier cast him a smug smirk, that further whet his anger. Helm threw him a hatefull glare and went back to sit down on the floor. He shivered at the contact between the chill metal and his thin detention clothes. ISO stuff didn't took in consideration that he might catch a cold either.

He stared at his reflexion in the polished metal floor. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was tousled and disheveled. He run his hand through it and removed a white strand from his face. His fingers trailed his old knife scar, then went down at to the chin. The skin felt sore where the lava had burned him in the pyramide, but it will heal with no marks.

He eyed the cell again. After three days in it, death sentence wasn't as scary as before. He got goose bumps only thinking he might spend the rest of his life inside it.

He drifted to his thoughts, since it was the only thing he could do, beside staring at the walls.

His memories came to dance in front of his eyes. Helm smirked at the contrast between the luxurious life he had as a Count and this miserable tin ISO had put him into. A life that wasn't even his. He supposed he deserved all this for what he had done.

What if he had listened to the last prayer of his mother? What if he hadn't stolen his half-brother's identity and power? He might have been today just a simple peasant in Egosville, one that nobody would have ever heard about. But surely a war would have been avoided, millions would have lived. Cassary was a dolt flop. The thought of ruling the world would have never crossed his mind. And most important he wouldn't be today in this god forgotten cell.

All his ambitions to conquer the world come from the desire to avenge his mother. He never considered then how many attrocities he would have to commit for this goal. Eight years ago, he would have shied away of what he had become now. But with every step his ambition grew, as his humanity left dwindled. He lose the count of the wasted lifes, and with each bloodshed for the Count life lost it's value until it was nothing but a bug to crush.

What would his mother think of him? Of what he had done? Helm squized his eyes shut and sighed.

xXx

Jinpei toyed absentmindedly the joystick in his hand. His play station had been a gift from Jun for his last birthday. Although the boys teased he outgrew the toys, the 13 year old never left his passion for computer games. As his eyes traced the faded marks from it's buttons his mind recalled memories of more happier times, all so fresh as if they happened yesterday

They doing the usual chores together at the Snack, her praises and advices during their training sessions, the irritated look after shouting for ages at him as she took off his headphones, her smile and the smell of pancakes that greeted him in the mornings… Jun wasn't the best cook in the world but she made the best jam pancakes he'd ever eaten.

Now all seemt ages ago.

He put down the cherished toy and went down the stairs to the Snack's restaurant hall.

The lights were off and the room was eerie silent. Cobwebs on the windows show that it wasn't resided in a long while. Confined in the new mountain base he missed so much the familiar athmosphere of the Snack, the days when the whole team would gather here after a mission, to celebrate another defeat of Gallactor.

He shivered. Without Jun, it seemt cold and foreign and no longer had the aura of comfort he was used to.

Beside the boys, she was the only family he ever had. He was alone now.

Jun was a caring nature and had an incredible strength to carry on. But he wasn't sure if he could manage without her. The responsabilities that awaited him seem overwhelming.

Well, he had an impressive training in martial arts, he knew to fly a helicopter, drive most types of vehicles and knew a great deal about explosibles and comunication devices. But had no knowledge in what concerned normal life. What was a 13 year old boy going to do now? He was too young to hire somewhere.

Jinpei feared ISO will send him to an orphanage, or will place him in the custody of an adoptive family. Science Ninja Team Gatchaman had a world-wide reputation and surely a lot of people would want to take the Swallow in their familly.

He imagined the life in an adoptive family, where everyone would gawk at him and ask him how was when he fought the goons. He mentally scowled at it. No, this wasn't the type of life he could stand.

Jinpei looked up with a surge of determination. If Jun managed to be a part of the Gatchaman team, run a bar and take care of herself and of him at the same time, then he will too. He looked around at the familiar walls of the Snack. This place held so many beautiful memories and meant so much to him. He would not give up to it.

A sound brought his attention and he turned to the door to see a figure rushing inside. He tensed and went instanly on guard but released as he recognised Ken's voice calling him.

" I'm here aniki!"

Ken peered though the darkness to find the switch and turned on the lights. He greeted the boy and placed a bag on the table.

" I thought to drop here and see how you are. Uhm….here, I brought you your favourite snacks ." He pointed to the bag.

Jinpei shot him a grateful look, than noticed Ken's disheveled appearance?

" What happened aniki? "

" My fans!" Ken scoffed as he remembered running three streets in a heartbeat with a herd of crazed teenagers on his tail. Luckily, the Snack was nearby and they lost him when he went the corner. Now that his identity was known he was starting to have people asking him for autographs. Every time he would go somewhere he prayed no one would recognise him. But his prayers were rarely listened and he would end up circled by people who wanted to talk to Gatchaman. Plus he got a lot of letters from wannabe girfriends in his mail box. He was begining to understand Joe now. It was harassing and very tiresome, to the point he considered to ask for a transfer in one of ISO's remote bases from Sahara where no one would pester him. He turned back to the boy. Jinpei needed him, he couldn't leave now. And his curent job as a mail deliverer was satisfying enough.

He took a look at the windows; the sky outside was reddish in evening glow, then at the watch from his left wrist. He missed the feeling of his old bracelet locket on his skin, and the watch concealed the untanned line he had. It's limbs show 7 p.m.

" Aniki, have you eaten yet?"

Ken shook his head as his stomach rumbled at the thought of eating.

" Would you… join me? "

He knew the boy was feeling alone and smiled down.

" Sure!" he nodded.

They headed for the Snack's kitchens and Ken removed some dusted boxes from the table as Jinpei pryied through the cupboard.

" How about some macaroni with cheese?" He asked as he pulled out the bags.

" Mmm, sounds good."

Jinpei set the tableware and sat down at the table with his head rested on his elbows as Ken lit up the gas cooker and started to prepare their meal.

He was feeling alone and he was glad Ken accepted to join him for the dinner. He was still feeling weird around this place without Jun. He took his fork and started to prick at the wooded surface. He looked at Ken who was backturned, stirring the noodles and muttering ocasionaly a curse in low voice as droplets of hot water landed on his hand. He wasn't a good cook either but at least he managed to prepare the noodles without burning them.

" Finaly! " Ken threw away the dishcloth glad that he succesfully finished boiling the noodles without three degrees burnings on his arms. He poured them in bowls for Jinpei and himself and the boy snickered as he put to bowl in front of him.

" Aniki, you should really use kitchen gloves next time." pointing the red dots on his forearms where the water had splashed him.

Ken made the mental notification and sat down himself.

Jinpei rolled the macaronies around his fork and took a bite. They didn't taste so bad as he thought, Ken even had the sense season them. He looked up the meet his friend's questioning stare.

" Mmm, they're good. Serious!"

This brought Ken a sense of satisfaction as he took a forkful from his bowl. The kid was right.

They ate in silence for a moment, before Jinpei's voice piped.

" Aniki, do you think they're gonna send me to an orphanage? I don't want to…."

Ken put down his fork and fixed him with his blue stare.

" I won't let them Jinpei!"

He nodded and smiled sadly at Ken's determined tone, as he stirred his needles with the fork. Ken knew well the boy and figured that there was something weighting on his mind.

" I miss her…." He puffed.

Ken cast down his eyes.

" I miss her too, Jinpei." He said slowly, on a comforting voice. He could see his little mate's lip quivering and tears gather in his eyes.

He rised from his chair and went beside him, crouching and resting a hand on boy's shoulder.

" Jinpei, you're not alone. You have me and Joe…… and Ryu will be fine. I promise you."

His reassuring voice heartened Jinpei a little. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and retained a sob. He didn't want to display weakness in front of his aniki and his leader, but the emotions overwhelmed him. Ken looked at him understandingly.

"Aniki,… uhm…. could you stay with me over night…. please?"

Ken narrowed his eyes at his request. Tomorrow he would have to be back at the garrison first thing in the morning.

But Jinpei's pleading stare softened him. The boy had just lost his closest person. He was about his age when his mother died and he knew the feeling. Like Jinpei, he longed to have someone who could talk to, someone who could comfort him.

" Alright."

The boy soft smile made the corner of his lips tug up.

After they finished their noodles, Jinpei remained in the kitchen to wash the dishes and he went up the stairs to the sleeping quarters. He knew around the Snack and he had stayed here over night before. He looked around the corner to see the half-opened door from Jun's bedroom. He took a step towards it, but changed his mind and went back to his own. Ken wasn't sure if he could keep back his tears if he wandered there.

xXx

The noise of footsteps outside made the prisonier to lift his head and look up. He rolled them in annoyance then turned his head to face the gloomy wall. It was still a better sight than the Condor's face.

Joe glanced down at the sitting figure. He looked so weak and…. humble and the detention uniform contrasted lucridious with his pale blue skin. His head was turned away and the hair blocked his sight from seeing his face. But despite his pose, curled against the wall with his knees under his chin, he still had an allura of arrogance from his good days.

" I see you've made yourself comfortable."

Helm scowled at the mocking voice.

" Your accommodations are indeed ………. captivating." He retorted on the same bitingly tone.

" Since you like prisons so much. Sides, I'm sure you have better conditions in yours!"

" Maybe one day I'll have the honor to lodge you in!"

Condor snorted at the wit and approached him. Helm became aware but didn't looked towards him. He stiffened his body, preparing himself to avoid an eventually blow. In other circumstances, he would have tried to hit and maybe to escape, but he knew Condor was a cyborg, and even as a human, his martial arts skills surpassed his.

Joe stopped few inches away towering him, and Helm hoped he wasn't showing the fear he felt. He fought himself to face him and finally looked up.

He had seen him detransmuted before but only in pictures; this was the first time he saw him in flesh. He was younger then he had expected, and Helm supposed he would surpass him with few inches if he stand up. But his hard glare told him to stay his place.

They faced in hatred for a moment then Helm turned away.

" What do you want from me?"

Joe took a casual stance.

" Oh, just came to see how you are… "

" You came to gloat! "

If the glares could kill Condor would have been dropped dead on instant.

" Can't blame me. I've waited for two years to see you locked-up. Too bad you won't stay too much in it."

Helm looked up questioningly. Joe gave him a smug face and turned to leave. He stoped in his tracks and turned to him once again.

" Your trial it's set over two days. I thought you'd like to know. "

Helm didn't answered.

" And I'll be the first who signs up for the firing squad." He shouted as the sentinel open the door for him to leave.

Helm's eyes followed the Condor's silhouette on the hallway then he went back to his thoughts.


	5. Chapter 5

The screak noise whizzed through the hot air as the race car turned around, rack bumping into the track panneling, jolting the driver out from his seat as it took a narrow turn, threatening to topple. The cherring crowd of stand-byers immediately lapsed into silence, awainting the worse.

Joe cursed and quickly adjusted the wheel to prevent any more damage and to set the car back on it's way, all this time not loosing from his sight the other red one that took the opportunity and slipped in front of him.

Joe brought his car back on the track and boosted the speed to 200kmph, grinning as the other vehicles dissaperared from his rear mirror, and the distance from himself and the red one rapidly decreased.

It was now just the two of them.

He accelerated again, at the very limit of his race car, trying to overtake him. The pest, however, didn't take the hint. He continued to speed in front of his, blocking the way.

Joe cursed again and decelerated a bit as the road was getting sinuous, and there followed a lot of turns to take. He took them smoothly, eyes glaring at the red bolide, that managed to mentain a constant distance between them.

Red! It instantly reminded him of another meddlesome jerks he could never outrun. He was beginning to detest this colour.

"Dam'it!"

With Joe hot on his tail, it passed the line that announced the entrance in the final lap. He had now only two more kilometers to outrun it.

One who had been tagged all his life as number 2, absolutely hated the second place. He was going to win this race!

He accelerated again, this time getting passage nearby the other one, metal scratching on metal. In that portion of mountain road, the drivers struggled for every inch of the narrow track as the chasm was opening ahead of them. And Joe was on it's verge.

He looked through his window with strong determination at the red car's driver, and could see his glare returned even as the other had his face covered in the black race helmet.

Both pushed the acceleartion treadle in the same second, sparks flying in the air as the cars sides ridged one into another.

His rival turned his helmet to Joe once more, in a movement that let our Condor know he was up to something dirty.

"What the….."

He gasped in shock as he realised what it was. The other started to ram itself into him, trying to push his one over the edge, down into the chasm. Anger flooded Joe's senses.

It wasn't the first time this happened and whoever was behind that helmet could have made a good Gallactor. That if he wasn't one already.

"Why, you…."

Joe gripped tightly the wheel, trying to drive himself out of the hit's way. Since the track was too narrow and his car was already at it's maximum speed, the only way left was backwards. To the second place.

"Dam'me if I'll let you win!"

He cursed vehemently as he got another push that nearly threw his right tyres out of the road. He turned leftwards the wheel, feeling a little satisfaction as he hit the driver's side leaving nasty dents in the impecatble red tunned metal.

" That's what you get for playing dirty!" he muttered for himself.

The impact sent the car away, allowing him to dissentangle. Joe's front bumper was now few inches ahead.

His satisfaction didn't last long however, for he could see the other one preparing to deliver a new powerfull blow. Allarms went off in his mind as he looked down into the abyss bellow. The road was now at it's narrowest portion. If the moron did it, it could have thrown him, or both of them over the edge.

It was amazing what some people would do just to brag they'd won a race.

He looked leftwards. While at first he thought it was just a maneouvre to scare him, he realised now that the man was actually going to throw him over the edge.

" Just try it!"

He drove ahead as much as he could, half of his car overpassing his rival's one. He grinned catching the violent tilt of the helmet in what seem to be a swearing.

" And stay there!"

He made a mental note to check on every competitors that line up at start next time he would go to an illegal race. Joe looked leftwards again to search for details that would help him recognise later the driver. The helmet was the common type and it was now when he realised he had no number plate on his car. Most would take them off or change them when taking part to illegal racings. Or maybe it fell during the smashes. But it was weird. He knew well most of drivers, since he used to hang around at the track. Newcomers liked to make an entrance but this one was much too aggressive.

He chewed his lip thinking of the possibilities of the other drivers identity, while looked in the rear mirror spotting a flash of red. The red car was coming up water-spout.

"Dam'! Dam'!Dam'it!"

In a fraction of second he had before the impact, Joe could hardly have time to understand what's going on. He just acted on the survival instinct he had so well developped over the years and pulled the clutch so hard, he could fell the wheels of his car scratching on the track. The bolid went milimeters behind him, slightly bumping the rear of Joe's car, then broke through the safety parapet and flew rolling into the chasm below.

Joe braked in the next second and jumped out from his car, his eyes following bellow the fall of the red car. He didn't even stopped to think his actions as he hurried down and ran to it as fast as he could, nearly tripping himself on the abrupt slope.

He stopped a meter away from the crushed, toppled car and went to the driver's side. The pilot was knocked uncounsicious but despite the state of the car, he didn't appeared seriously injured nor was any blood there. Joe checked for his life signs. The pulse was faint but it was still stable. Then he hauled the the door away and pulled the man out from the car, laying him face up on the ground to prevent the aggravation of whatever injuries he might have. Joe was so tempted to remove the helmet and punch some sense into his head, but that could kill him if he had any fracture at his spine.And he looked like he already got what he deserved.

Instead he signaled for an ambulance through his cellphone and remained beside the injuried gently holding his wrist to know if his condition changed.

" Looks like I'm going to be late! Hehe, not that he's going to miss me!" he mused as he turned his head to the ambulance buzzers that were rapidly approching.

His eyes drifted back on the prone figure of the mysterious driver as he sorted in his head what he was goingto tell to the police investigators.

xXx

Ken's eyes followed the landscape outside as he drove. Fortunately, the highway was quite deserted at that hour, few drivers dashing out at 6 in the morning and the leisured traffic allowed his thoughts to distract him a little from the wheel. The sun hadn't rised yet, only a reddish line above the hills anouncing it's outcome.

He had a break from his work, for medical reasons. He wished to stop the car for a moment to rub his right ellbow joint, where the swelling from his recent chemotherapy session started to throb painfully. It was still, under the level of supportable, and he could take a lot when it come to pain. So he dissmissed the idea and continued his driving, knowing that the destination was only few miles ahead.

He recalled what the doctor had told him.

" _Fourtunately your illness had not progressed, but it still made no regress despite all our therapies."_

The statement let him cool, he felt no fear or other emotion stirring in the indifference that had taken hold of him during the past two months. He wondered if the true reason for which his illness wouldn't cure was his lack of determination, of will to live. That's what Joe had told him few weeks ago. Analysing himself, Ken was honest to admit that if during the war he had percived his canker as an enemy, now it only saw it as an ancient companion he was used with, that stirred him old and painfully memories. And beside the anaemia crises that ocassionaly interupted his training sessions, it didn't bother him so much.

Memories of his dying mother on her death bed flowed unbounded in his head, her resigned smile as she ruffled his brown locks, and the pain, for he could see the pain in her eyes no matter how much she wanted to hide it. It was in those times he first experienced the human weakness and the loss, and hated it, vowing himself he will never experience such things. And he hated himself for couldn't do nothing to prevent it

But the fate obviously had other plans. Come to think, it wasn't such bad and he knew it will happen someday.

"_Death is a part of life, Ken_." This was the statement his mother used to calm the eleven –year old boy that the perspective of loosing his remaning parent frightened him beyond limit.

He never questioned it's veracity, but barely now he finally accepted it.

In a morbid fashion he was glad that it happened now, when he was no longer needed. A life after beeing Gatchaman was equally painful perspective as the one of having a deadly disese.

He briefly wondered what would his father say, and in moments like this Ken wanted the old Washio would be here to advice him. Not that he would follow them anyway.

The old wooden paling looming out from the road's bend told him he had reached his destination.

Ken stopped the car in front of the ancient dye-spalled gates and turned off the engine. He then picked up the bouquet of white roses, her favourites, from the near bench and went out from the car.

The only noises in the eerie morning silence were his steps on the dewed grass and the screech of the gates as he slowly pushed them open and made his way through the maze of crosses, to the most recent one, a small white marble stone that only hold the engravure of a Swan with spreaded wings.

He kneeled down and laid the roses on it, his fingers tracing the cold stone.

She used to like this place. It was so calm and peaceful and away from the town and it's noises, and they liked to gather here after their training. He smiled as he remembered her picking white roses from the bushes nearby and Joe and himself teasing her. Then she would strew the petals over them and they would sullenly shake them off. He sometimes caught the looks she gave him; he didn't understood it at first but later his duties would keep them apart. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, so many thing he should have told her…..

" Jun, I……" his words died on his lips. They were useless now, anyway.

He rended a tuft of grass. It felt cool and wet on his skin. Then went silent just staring at the marble stone, eyes flickering over it's edges and every crack, then back at the swan engraving.

Every one he loved was beyond it. His mother, his father, her….. For a moment the stone seem so overwhelimngly beckoning.

His hand reached to touch the engravure once more in a soft caress she used to give him so many times before… His eyes caught his wrist watch in the movement. Half past seven. He was going to be late. He sighed and rose up, heading back to his car. Before stepping out from the cemetery he turned his head to see again the marble stone.

" Good bye Jun!"

He went next to the door and searched in his pocket for the keys, cringing as his hand made contact with something cold and metallic. Ken pulled it out in his palm and opened it. The morning sun's rays shone in it's smooth, golden surface. He stared at it absentmindedly as the item remided him of another long forgiven enemy.

**WOW, I've actually written a chapter without Ego in it!**


End file.
